Four KMTV journalists have been shortlisted in the annual Kent Press and Broadcast Awards.
The channel, which is co-funded by the University of Kent in partnership with the KM Group, received nominations for its journalists in the following categories:
- Broadcast Journalist of the Year: Louisa Britton
- Young Journalist of the Year: Harry Peet
- Sports Journalist of the Year: Keilan Webster and Cameron Tucker
- New Journalist of the Year: Keilan Webster and Harry Peet
Five of the six nominations are for former University of Kent journalism students. The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony that takes place on Friday 13 July at The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence, Canterbury.
KMTV regularly draws a live audience of more than 50,000 and the station has a rapidly growing social media base with almost 13,000 followers. Streaming via the KM Group website expands access to programming and reaches millions of online viewers.
Its partners are considering expanding the channel’s footprint to central and East Kent to reach communities across the whole region. Quality local journalism supports local communities, promotes local enterprise and enhances local democracy.
The channel recently achieved a runner-up award in the Guardian University Awards 2018 for the Business Collaboration category, with the judges noting how KMTV helps ‘equip students for professional success while also driving localism with a quality community news service’.
The success for KMTV comes as it achieves international coverage for a recent report that has gone viral across the world – ranging from Newsnight (starts at 41.07), The Metro, The Sun, Mashable and The New York Post.
The news report, about a cannabis farm found in a house in Kent, was interrupted by a man running into the shot carrying a large plant. KMTV journalist Cameron Tucker has been praised for his professionalism in remaining focused on his report despite the strange incident.